One genre of video games is known as “shooter” games, in which players engage in forms of combat using various weapons. Within the shooter genre, the game may be developed in a first-person context, in which the player views scenes through the eyes of the shooter. Alternatively, the game may be architected in a third-person context, where the player views the scenes from a camera viewpoint removed from each character.
One problem that can arise in third-person shooter games is that a player feels a little more detached from the action in comparison to first-person shooter games. In a first-person shooter game, the player operates as the shooter character and sees the terrain and combat situations through the character's eyes. In the third-person context, however, the player is removed from the shooter, watching the action from a remote camera perspective which lends to a feeling of being less engaged in the action. This detached feeling is made worse when the player maneuvers through various terrains and obstacles temporarily come between the camera viewpoint and the character to obscure the player's vision of the character.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved user experience in a third-person shooter game.